Recently I was in Miami, where I had dinner at Yardbird. The restaurant’s chef and creator is “Top Chef” contestant Jeff McInnis. The concept is down-home cooking typical of the U.S. South, and as you would expect, chicken is featured prominently on the menu.

If you’re going to do this, you need to do it well! McInnis does just this, and he's winning awards by the bucket for it. Try the Chicken n'Watermelon n'Waffles with hot sauce honey. It was as good as anything I've eaten in a while!

At Allium Restaurant at Four Seasons Chicago, Michelin-starred chef Kevin Hickey has become locally famous for his hot dog ... yes, his hot dog. It's a pure beef dog, smoked over applewood and served in a brioche poppyseed bun. Everything, including the relishes, is made in-house. It strongly reflects the concept of modern American cuisine, and it's the biggest seller on the menu.